Miami-Dade charter schools run by bro of U.S. Veep Biden under scrutiny

Auditors with Miami-Dade County Public Schools want to take a closer look at a charter school chain run by the brother of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden due to financial woes and allegations that the company is inflating student enrollment numbers.

Mavericks Charter High Schools, an alternative education chain headed by company president Frank Biden, is running a deficit at both its Miami-Dade schools, according to Jose F. Montes de Oca, the district’s chief auditor. The district is also concerned about a recent audit by the Palm Beach County School District's inspector general that said a Mavericks school in the district overbilled $160,000 by overstating the students at its school.

“We understand that similar allegations have been levied against the two existing Mavericks charter schools operating in Miami-Dade County,” Montes de Oca wrote in a memo.

Biden showed up at the school board’s monthly meeting Wednesday to defend his company, and called the Palm Beach allegations “false.”

“That’s why we invite the audit down here,” he said.

Posted by David Smiley on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 at 1:28 PM
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